Alleged gang member recants testimony on Halloween 2007 shooting

October 14, 2010

A relative of a reputed gang member on trial for the murder of a pregnant mother in front of her children on Halloween in 2007 today recanted his grand jury testimony that the defendant admitted he may have shot the woman while aiming for gang rivals.

Gregorio Reyes, 24, testified he either couldn't recall his grand jury testimony or denied that he told authorities that Orlando Avila confessed two days after the shooting of Leticia Barrera on her 32nd birthday.

Barrera had just returned from trick-or-treating with her three young children and was standing outside her home in the 4800 block of South Seeley Avenue when Avila, an alleged member of the Latin Saints street gang, and another unknown gunman fired at rivals from the Two-Six street gang. None of the intended targets were injured, but Barrera was struck once in the head.

Avila, 21, watched intently as Reyes struggled to distance himself from his statements to both police detectives and a Cook County grand jury.

"Did you tell the detectives that Orlando Avila said, 'We went to shoot some Two-Sixers but might have hit someone else?' " Assistant State's Attorney Brian Sexton asked during an often combative examination.

"No sir, that never happened," said Reyes, who is related to Avila by marriage.

He testified the detectives threatened to have him deported if he did not tell the grand jury what they wanted him to say.

"They (the detectives) just made the whole story up," Reyes said. "I was never there. I didn't know anything about it (Avila's alleged confession)."

Reyes' testimony followed appearances over the last two days by four state witnesses who identified Avila as one of the gunmen who opened fire at Seeley Avenue and 48th Street.

Reyes denied that he was scared he might be killed for testifying against Avila. He said a recent wound to his head was not the result of being hit in the head with a two-by-four by Latin Saints members as a warning.

"Do you have a mark on your head?" Sexton asked.

"Yes sir, but that's just from friends fighting," said Reyes, hesitating as he answered.